Healing cap system with implant alignment indicator

• US 5,813,858 A
• Filed: 11/03/1995
• Issued: 09/29/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Ginn, Neil Gottehrer, Phillip Singer
• Original Assignee: Michael Ginn, Neil Gottehrer, Phillip Singer
• Inventors: Singer, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Application Number:
  US08/552,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 433/172, 433/173, 433/174, 433/175, 433/176, 433/177, 433/141, 433/215, 433/229
• US Class Current: 433/173
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 8/008 Healing caps or the like

Abstract

An anatomically dimensioned healing cap is provided for use during second stage surgery of a dental implant which preserves the actual tooth contour within the gingiva to facilitate accurate crown reproduction exhibiting a proper emergence profile. The healing cap has a housing that is dimensioned in accordance with the removed tooth and has a releasably securable insert that directly engages the head of any implant without scoring or damaging the implant. For posterior teeth, the healing cap can preserve the tooth cavity in the gingiva tissue even if the implant is mounted off-center of the original tooth location. The healing cap also provides an occlusal lip to prevent the overgrowth of gingiva tissue during second stage healing. Plastic burnout sleeves and cylinders are provided to enable dental technicians to more accurately and more efficiently create a crown or bridge. Healing cap models and an implant alignment indicator are provided to enable the dental surgeon to more accurately locate and align a dental implant in the initial stages of surgery.

Claims

1. An apparatus for observing the orientation of a dental implant, having an anti-rotational coupling, in a patient'"'"'s mouth, said apparatus comprising an alignment indicator having a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end having an anti-rotational coupling to matingly engage the anti-rotational coupling of the dental implant, said proximal end of said indicator having two members mutually perpendicular to said shaft and to each other.

2. A method for installing a dental implant having an anti-rotational coupling into a patient'"'"'s jawbone such that an anatomically-shaped healing cap can be properly coupled to the implant during second stage healing, said method comprising the steps of:

coupling an alignment indicator to the anti-rotational coupling on the dental implant, said alignment indicator providing cues in at least two mutually perpendicular directions relating to the orientation of the anti-rotational coupling;

rotating said alignment indicator when it is coupled with the dental implant in order to establish the proper orientation of the dental implant within the patient'"'"'s jawbone in preparation for proper engagement of the anatomically-shaped healing cap with the dental implant; and

de-coupling said alignment indicator.